CCTV9英语新闻：Li Keqiang addresses business body in Santiago

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has addressed a meeting of business officials in Santiago, the last stop of his first official tour to Latin America. The premier's speech at the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, or ECLAC, was aimed at promoting China-Latin America economic ties for mutual benefit.

 

On his last leg of the a four-nation tour to Latin America, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang called for trade liberalisation and the strengthening of bilateral ties between China and Chile. 

 

The premier said Latin America is an important pillar in world peace and stability and a growing force in international prosperity and harmony.

 

China remains the top trading partner for Chile, accounting for about 24 percent of the Andean nation's exports. 

 

The premier also laid out "the four pillars" of China-Latin America cooperation: cementing traditional friendship and mutual trust, upgrading win-win cooperation, expanding people-to-people exchanges and improving overall cooperation mechanisms. 

 

For her part, ECLAC executive secretary Alicia Barcena praised the three-times-three model put forth by Premier Li, saying the model highlights the new demands of Latin America as the region undergoes economic transition. 

 

She said Latin America is willing to seize the opportunity from China's development to enhance cooperation in various fields including infrastructure, industrial development and energy production. She added closer China-Latin America ties will help achieve inter-connectivity and regional prosperity.

 

China has the ability to produce machines and build infrastructure, while Latin America has a shortage in this area.

 

Premier Li stressed China will pay attention to integration with local communities and protection of the environment while strengthening cooperation.

 

The nine-day tour also took Li to Colombia, Peru and Brazil.